U.S. patent number 4,472,009 [Application Number 06/369,621] was granted by the patent office on 1984-09-18 for supply cabinet partition.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tiffany Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Joseph M. Bell.
United States Patent |
4,472,009 |
Bell |
* September 18, 1984 |
Supply cabinet partition
Abstract
This cabinet and partition assembly can be used with office
stands of the type having a table top, and the assembly includes a
cabinet attached to the underside of the table top and having
opposed side panels and a lower panel of substantially the same
interior size as each other to define a square front access
opening. The partition includes opposed parallel side members
having perpendicular members extending therebetween, said partition
having the same overall perpendicular dimensions. The partition
dimensions define a square of substantially the same size as the
cabinet access openings so that the opening can receive the
partition in a horizontal shelf mode, or, when turned through
ninety degrees, can receive the partition in a vertical divider
moder. The cabinet is provided with a door which may be optionally
hung on either of the cabinet side panels.
Inventors: |
Bell; Joseph M. (Conway,
AR) |
Assignee: |
Tiffany Industries, Inc. (St.
Louis, MO)
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[*] Notice: |
The portion of the term of this patent
subsequent to April 20, 1999 has been disclaimed. |
Family
ID: |
26873639 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/369,621 |
Filed: |
April 19, 1982 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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177780 |
Aug 13, 1980 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/194; 217/30;
220/529; 312/107; 312/195 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
96/04 (20130101); A47B 17/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
17/00 (20060101); A47B 96/00 (20060101); A47B
96/04 (20060101); A47B 027/00 (); A47B
083/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/194,195,198,107,126,111 ;217/30,33 ;108/60 ;220/22 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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209022 |
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May 1960 |
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DE |
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252106 |
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Dec 1947 |
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CH |
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929683 |
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Jun 1963 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Sakran; Victor N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cohn, Powell & Hind
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 177,780, filed Aug. 13, 1980.
Claims
I claim as my invention:
1. A cabinet and partition assembly comprising:
(a) a cabinet including:
1. a pair of substantially vertical side panels disposed in spaced
parallel relation,
2. a lower panel extending between said side panels,
3. a rear closure panel, and
4. said side panels and said lower panels defining a front end
access opening,
(b) a removable partition including:
1. opposed side members,
2. at least one perpendicular member extending substantially
uninterruptedly between said side members, and
3. the overall width of said side members being substantially the
same as the width of the access opening, said access opening
optionally receiving said partition in a front access shelf mode in
which the opposed side members are parallel to said opposed cabinet
side panels and the perpendicular member provides an intermediate
shelf and also receiving said partition in a front access divider
mode in which the opposed side members are perpendicular to said
side panels and the perpendicular member provides an intermediate
divider, when the partition is withdrawn, rotated through ninety
degrees (90.degree.) and re-inserted within the cabinet.
2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, in which:
(c) the partition includes a plurality of perpendicular members
extending substantially uninterruptedly between said side
members.
3. An assembly as defined in claim 1, in which:
(c) at least one of said side members has a height substantially
two-thirds the width of the access opening.
4. An assembly as defined in claim 1, in which:
(c) the access opening is substantially square.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to storage cabinets and in
particular to a storage cabinet and partition assembly which
provides horizontal or vertical storage spaces as required.
Storage cabinets of the type under discussion, when they are
provided with shelves, are most frequently provided with built in
horizontal shelves. When the cabinet is desired for use as a
storage cabinet for binders and other items which are preferably
stored in an upright position, either the shelves must be somehow
adapted to store the items in question. Of course it is possible to
provide cabinets with vertical dividers, and this is sometimes
done. However, in the event that horizontal shelving is desired by
a particular user for storing materials such as typing paper or
similar material, which is better stored in a flat, horizontal
position, the problem is again presented. Attempts have been made
to overcome the problem by providing larger cabinets with both
horizontal and vertical storage pockets. This presents the obvious
disadvantage that such cabinets tend to be larger than really
necessary and while some users may use both types of pockets there
is a tendency for only one type to be used in its intended
manner.
The present invention overcomes these and other problems in a
manner not disclosed in the known cited art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This cabinet and partition assembly provides a removable partition
which is adapted for insertion in the cabinet to provide either
horizontal shelves or vertical dividers as desired.
The cabinet includes a pair of vertical side panels disposed in
spaced parallel relation, a lower panel extending between said side
panels, a rear closure panel extending between said side panels,
said side panels and said lower panel defining a front end access
opening. The partition includes opposed side members at least one
perpendicular member extending between said side members, the
overall height of said side members and the overall width of said
side members defining a square having a side dimension
substantially equal to the width of the access opening, the access
opening receiving said partition in a shelf mode in which the
opposed side members are parallel to the opposed cabinet side
panels and also receiving said partition in a divider mode in which
the opposed side members are parallel to said upper and lower
panels.
In one aspect of the invention the cabinet includes a swing door
having a vertical hinger axis and each side wall of the cabinet
includes means for mounting the door to provide a right or left
hand door mounting capability.
In another aspect of the invention the partition includes a flat
plate providing one of the side member; a bent plate having
parallel legs, one leg being attached to the flat plate and the
other leg providing at least part of the other of said side members
and a connecting leg providing said one perpendicular member.
In another aspect of the invention the partition includes a bent
plate having parallel legs of unequal length, the shorter leg being
attached to the flat plate and the longer leg providing at least a
part of the other of said side members, and a connecting leg
providing said perpendicular member.
In yet another aspect of the invention the partition includes a
plurality of perpendicular members extending between said side
members.
In another aspect of the invention the partition includes a first
bent plate having parallel legs, one leg being attached to the flat
plate and the other leg providing at least a part of the other of
said side members and a connecting leg providing one of said
perpendicular legs; and a second bent plate having parallel legs,
one leg being attached to the flat plate and the other leg
providing at least part of the other of said side members, and a
connecting leg providing another of said perpendicular legs.
In still another aspect of the invention the first bent plate is
substantially Z-shaped, having a short leg attached to said flat
plate and a long leg providing at least part of the other of said
side members; and the second plate is substantially U-shaped having
one leg attached to the flat plate and the other leg providing at
least part of the other of said side members.
In another aspect of the invention the first bent plate long leg is
substantially two thirds the length of the first plate.
In yet another aspect of the invention the second bent plate legs
are substantially one third of the length of the flat plate.
In still another aspect of the invention the cabinet and partition
assembly are mounted to a table which includes an elongate top
having opposed ends, an elongate shelf disposed in spaced parallel
relation below the top and having opposed ends, and a pair of
opposed legs connecting the top and the shelf at each end thereof.
The cabinet is mounted to the table top so that said top, at least
in part, defines an upper panel of the cabinet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a table having an underslung
cabinet;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the stand with the cabinet door
open and the partition removed;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view illustrating the
cabinet and partition assembly with the partition in a shelf
mode;
FIG. 4 is a similar view with the partition in a divider mode;
FIG. 5 is a front end view of the partition illustrating the
relative proportions thereof, and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the door mounting.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings and first
to FIG. 1 it will be understood that the cabinet and partition
assembly can form part of a table, such as is commonly used for a
business machine stand, generally indicated by numeral 10. The
table 10 includes an elongate table top 12, and a substantially
parallel elongate shelf 14 both of which are interconnected at
their ends by inverted T-shaped legs 16. The cabinet 18 in the
preferred embodiment is disposed between said table top 12 and
shelf 14 and, in the preferred embodiment, is physically attached
to the table top 12 but spaced from the shelf 14 as clearly shown
in FIGS. 3 and 4.
In the embodiment shown the cabinet 18 includes an upper panel 20,
which is formed from a portion of the table top 12; a lower panel
22 disposed in spaced relation from said upper panel and opposed
vertical side panels 24 and 26 disposed in spaced parallel relation
and extending between said upper and lower panels. The side panels
24 and 26 each includes an upper elongate lip 23 apertured
lengthwise to receive fasteners (not shown) which attach the
cabinet 18 to the table top 12. The lips 23 are connected at their
front end by a transverse bar 25, as by welding, said bar tending
to stiffen the cabinet 18, which in the embodiment shown is of
sheet metal construction, during installation and shipping. A rear
closure panel 28 is provided which in the preferred embodiment
extends between the upper and lower panels and the opposed side
panels. By this structural arrangement of parts the upper and lower
panels, the side panels and the end panels cooperate to define a
front open box having a substantially square access opening. The
access opening is provided with a door panel 30 having a piano-type
hinge 32 fixedly attached thereto along one edge and having a
spring-loaded, ball-type friction catch 34 adjacent the opposite
edge. The opposed panels 24 and 26 each includes a vertical post
member 27 having a plurality of threaded inserts 29 which are
adapted to receive hinge bolts 31. Panels 24 and 26 also include
slightly elongated ball-receiving openings 36 which are adapted to
cooperate with the friction catch 34 and, in the preferred
embodiment, the catch 34, the opening 29 and the hinge fastener
inserts 29 are generally symmetrically disposed to provide said
panel with a right or left hand door mounting capability. A
resilient bumper strip 38 is provided on the door post member 27
adjacent the catch 34.
The partition 40, which in the preferred embodiment is also of
sheet metal construction, is best shown in FIG. 2. As shown, the
partition 40 consists essentially of a flat plate 42; a first
Z-shaped bent plate 44, having a relatively short leg 46 an
intermediate leg 48 providing a transverse connecting member and a
relatively long leg 50; and a second U-shaped bent plate 52, having
opposed side legs 54 and 56 and an intermediate leg 58 providing a
transverse connecting member. In the preferred embodiment, the
short leg 46 of the Z-shaped plate 44 is approximately one-third of
the height of the first plate 42 and is attached thereto as by
welding. The arms 54 and 56 of the U-shaped plate 52 are also
one-third of the height of the plate 42 and are attached to said
plate 42 and to said long leg 50 of the Z-shaped plate 44 as by
welding.
As will be readily understood by reference to FIG. 5 the overall
height of the plate 42 and the overall width of the members 42 and
50 define a square of substantially the same size as the access
opening and having a side of dimension D, which is slightly less
than the distance between the cabinet side panels 24 and 26. The
plate 42, reinforced by legs 46 and 54 of members 44 and 52
respectively; and the leg 50 of member 44, reinforced by leg 56 of
member 52, constitute opposed side members. The intermediate legs
48 and 58 of bent plates 44 and 52 respectively, as shown in FIGS.
2, 3 and 5, provide horizontal shelves such that when the partition
40 is inserted within the cabinet 18 three substantially equal
horizontally elongate pockets are formed. When the partition 40 is
withdrawn, rotated through ninety degrees about the withdrawal
axis, legs 48 and 58 provide vertical dividers such that when the
partition 40 is re-inserted within the cabinet 18 three
substantially equal vertically elongate pockets are formed. Thus,
the cabinet and partition assembly can be readily transformed from
a shelf mode into a divider mode. In the divider mode, as will be
understood from FIG. 4, the " height" of the partition becomes the
"width" and the partition 40 is snugly received within the cabinet
18 because these dimensions are equal.
It will also be understood that the depth of the partition 40,
measured axially in the direction shown by the double direction
arrow in FIG. 2 indicating insertion and withdrawal, is somewhat
less than the depth of the cabinet so that the front end of the
partition is slightly recessed relative to the front end margins of
the cabinet 18 to permit the door 30 to be easily closed.
It is thought that the structural features and functional
advantages of this cabinet and partition assembly have become fully
apparent from the foregoing description of parts but for
completeness of disclosure the installation as a whole will be
briefly described.
The cabinet 18 in the preferred embodiment is attached only to the
underside of the table top 12. Thus, once the tabletop 12, the
shelf 14 and the legs 16 are connected it becomes a simple matter
to remove the partition 40 from the preassembled cabinet 18 in
which it is shipped and attach said cabinet to either the right or
left hand side of the table 10 as desired. If the door panel 30
which in the preferred embodiment is of wood, particle board, or
the like, is mounted to the right post member 27 and it is desired
to mount it to the left post member 27, it is simply a matter of
removing the hinge fastener bolts 31, reversing the door panel
top-to-bottom and attaching the hinge to the left post member.
The manufacture of the cabinet 18 to provide an access opening
twelve inches square produces three shelf pockets, as shown in FIG.
3, approximately twelve inches long and four inches in height. This
size pocket is very convenient for storing regular typing paper and
similarly sized materials flat. When, on the other hand, it is
desired to utilize the cabinet 18 primarily for the storing of
books, binders and the like which are preferrably stored in an
upright position, it is a simple matter to remove the partition 40,
rotate it through ninety degrees and re-insert it, thereby
providing three vertical pockets approximately four inches wide by
twelve inches in height.
* * * * *